Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Grand Cayman is located in the Caribbean and is the largest of the three Cayman Islands. Cayman Islands are British/UK islands. Grand Cayman is approximately 22 miles (35 km) long and approximately 8 miles (13 km) wide. Grand Cayman has 5 districts on the island:

George Town (Capital)
West Bay
North Side
East Side
Bodden Town

Grand Cayman is one our favourite Caribbean islands. The Caymanians are very friendly, the island is safe to explore and the beaches are breathtaking.

West Side: on the West side George Town is known for shopping, restaurants and Seven Mile Beach (very beautiful), be sure to visit Camana Bay lifestyle centre located on Seven Mile Beach and Coral Beach restaurant on Seven Mile Beach.
West Bay (North of Seven Mile Beach): also great beaches (West Bay Beach and Cemetery Beach) and and few attractions (Cayman Turtle Centre, Dolphin Discovery and Hell…make sure to visit Ivan).
North Side: Rum Point (our favourite place on Grand Cayman)…Rum Point Crew are awesome (stop by Red sail sports for water sports). The beach at Rum Point is beautiful and unique in that it has natural shade. There’s an on-site restaurant + bar and the beach chairs are complimentary. Keep in mind you are not allowed outside food or beverages in Rum Point. One of our favourite restaurants on Grand Cayman is Over The Edge (on North Side road). The restaurant itself is not fancy, but it does have great views, friendly staff and great food.
East Side: we frequently stay on the East Side…we prefer the quiet friendly atmosphere. There is not many places to stay on the East side, only 2 places Wyndham Reef Resort (preferred as our rental condo is at Wyndham Reef Resort) + Morritt’s. Tukka, and Vivine’s Kitchen restaurants are also located on the East side and are great restaurants. The East End also has Pirates Cove (bit of a tourist trap, but good for children), the Blowhole (along the side of the road…which is free just pull over to see it and Lovers Wall (good photo opp).
Bodden Town: driving through Bodden Town district along the ocean is beautiful. Bodden Town has some small resorts if you’re looking to stay on the South side. Bodden Town also has great restaurants (Everglo, Czech Inn Grill, Pirates Eatery, Grape Tree Cafe, Rankin’s Jerk).

Beachfront Condo Rental (our condo at Wyndham Reef Resort): Grand Cayman - Beachfront Condo Rental

Top 15 things to do in Grand Cayman:

Stingray City: amazing experience for both adults + children. Catch the boat from Rum Point and enjoy the relaxing boat ride to Stingray city and be ready to mingle with the Stingrays. We took our oldest son to Stingray city when he was young and he was overcome by the stingrays.
Beaches: Grand Cayman beaches are stunning due to the clear aqua coloured ocean and soft sandy bottom, a few of our favourites: Seven Mile Beach, Rum Point, Governors Beach, Smith Cove, Spotts Beach, Cemetery Beach, Starfish Point, West Bay, Colliers Beach, Old Man Bay, Library Beach.
Kittiwake Shipwreck: for scuba divers, Kittiwake is a must dive, located just off Seven Mile Beach…the ship sometimes shifts so the dive can differ from time to time.
George Town: George Town is Grand Cayman’s capital. Stroll through George Town, take in the abundance of shopping and restaurants…if you like jewelry, George Town will not disappoint. I bought my wife a diamond from George Town years ago that she cherishes to this day. They have one of a kind pieces and superb service.
Snorkeling: our favourite snorkel spot is off our condo unit at Wyndham Reef Resort and off the dock at Morritt’s (East side)…tons of a variety of fish (we have spotted a small shark off the end of the dock). We also love snorkeling off Rum Point as we have seen barracudas and sting rays in abundance. Spotts Beach on a calm day is another good snorkel spot, especially early in the morning as sea turtles are often spotted.
Camana Bay: located in Seven Mile Beach (just North of George Town) Camana Bay is a modern Lifestyle Centre is the closest thing you’ll find to a mall in Grand Cayman. Camana Bay has shopping, restaurants and a movie theatre to chose from. There’s often live music in the evenings at restaurants.
Dolphin Discovery / Turtle Centre: located in West Bay, if you’re looking for attractions while on Grand Cayman, both are decent (especially for children). Both these activities are full day activities so plan your time accordingly.
Starfish Point: located in Rum Point (North Side) Starfish Point is free…great area and you’ll be sure to see many Starfish off the beach. You can bring a picnic and set yourself up near the beach. There is a small restaurant near by, but that is the only other option for food so bring snacks.
Hell: located in West Bay…another free attraction. This rock formation attracts many tourists as it is reminiscent of what we think Hell may look like. It is a bit cheesy but funny at the same time to see people flocking to sharp jagged rocks and coming to see Ivan (the shop owner that has a store beside the rock formation). Ivan often dresses up as the devil and greets people with sayings that contain “hell” in it, like “how the hell are you”.
Rent a Boat: if you’re looking for the ideal boating experience, where you can gloat about being on the ocean but still be relatively safe, Cayman has a reef surrounding the Island so sailing or renting a boat can be fun and safe. We let our two children rent a Hobie Cat for a family boating experience, and it was fantastic. Cayman Islands Boat Rentals
Bioluminescence Bay: there’s only 5 places in the World where you’ll find Bioliminescence…the stunning glow in the ocean water at night is spectacular. Bioluminescent organisms glow in the dark when luciferin is exposed to oxygen triggers. This causes a chemical reaction with an enzyme called luciferase, which causes light in the water. Bioluminescence Bay is located on the North side just past Rum Point, take Rum Point Road, turn left of Water Cay Road or off Sand Point Road. Kayaks are the best way to experience Bio Bay. Best time is 4 nights after a full moon. Tours are offered.
Parasailing: Seven Mile Beach has a few places that will take you Parasailing…we have yet to experience this adventure but we are sure we will on our future visits.
Atlantis Submarine: Atlantis Submarine
Golf: if you’re looking to enjoy golfing while in Grand Cayman, there’s only two courses to chose from (Ritz Carlton Golf Club, and North Sound Golf course) both are located in George Town district along Seven Mile Beach.
Cayman Crystal Caves: Cayman Crystal Caves

Travel tips – Grand Cayman:

Fly into Grand Cayman (GCM): We always fly into the Island either through stop overs or directly from Toronto. We try to arrive early so that we can make the most of our travel day.
Car Rental: The car rentals are directly across from the airport (walking distance) so we usually get off our flight and walk over to the car rental (usually Hertz) and pick up our car. We find that it is worth renting a car as you then have the freedom to explore the Island. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that Cayman is a British Colony and they drive on the left hand side. The first time we visited the Cayman Islands we quickly learned to go left on the roundabout, there is one right outside the airport.
Groceries: we typically go to Hurley’s (at Shamrock & South Sound)…Foster’s IGA and Kirk Market are also decent. At Kirk Market they sell these wonderful reusable bags that have “I love Cayman” on it. I love these bags and find them to be a great cheap souvenir.
Currency: most prices (restaurants, groceries, gas) are in Cayman Island dollars…keep this in mind as the Cayman Island dollar is often higher than the U.S. dollar. You will find the occasional restaurants U.S. dollar.
Hurricane Season: remember when travelling to Grand Cayman keep in mind Hurricane season in the Caribbean general runs from July – October (peak being mid-Aug to mid-Oct).
Accommodations: Seven Mile beach (West end) has a number of major hotels (Ritz-Carlton, Westin Grand, Marriott, Meridian, Beachcomber); East Side (Morritt’s, Wyndham Coral Reef); North Side/Rum Point (best options are villas or condos on Air BNB, VRBO, Home Away).